Publication Date
2023
Subject Area
Section 4: Patterns of Caesars
Abstract
Emperor Nero was the last of the four Julio-Claudian emperors and has been considered to be one of worst emperors of Rome. The Roman scholars and Christians historians were some of his greatest foes, and the only ones left to tell his story. This paper takes a second look at these ancient sources and addresses what modern scholars have discovered about the true nature of Nero. Though he has been painted as clueless and childlike, in reality, Nero was much more cold and calculated than anyone had gave him credit for.